UZ exam leak: Police boss given $50k bail

PROVINCIAL police intelligence officer Superintendent Vigai Maunganidze, who is accused of leaking University of Zimbabwe (UZ) law degree examination paper has been granted $50 000 bail by deputy chief magistrate Tranos Utawashe.

Maunganidze, who is being represented by Josephine Sande and Marble Tarugarira, was told not to interfere with State witnesses and not to use the cellphone line which he allegedly used to send the examination paper.

He was arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) officers on Friday last week.

In opposing bail, Zacc investigating officer Tafadzwa Chivavarika said Maunganidze had shown capacity to interfere with investigations after he allegedly phoned a witness, Farai Madombi, to delete the examination paper which he had sent via WhatsApp from his mobile phone.

Madombi was identified as a member of the Defence ministry.

Prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu was in support of the Zacc officer in denying the accused bail.

But Maunganidze's lawyer Sande told the court that the Zacc investigating officer had failed to submit evidence of the leaked examination paper.

She said the document submitted in court as an exhibit was different from the one in Madombi's phone.

Allegations were that on October 31 this year, the accused obtained a UZ Faculty of Law examination paper of Administrative Local Government Law for 2ndyear students.

The paper was supposed to be written on November 3 and the accused was one of the students.

It is alleged that Maunganidze shared the leaked paper via WhatsApp with Madombi, who was a third-year Bachelor of Substantive Laws student at UZ.

It is alleged that on November 1, Madombi sat for the Company Law examination at UZ, where some students were caught cheating and were disqualified.

After the examination, Zanu PF director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi, Madombi’s classmate, approached the accused and discussed the exam paper they had written.

Mugwadi complained about the examination paper leakage and said he would raise a complaint with the Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development minister.

Madombi allegedly shared the leaked Administrative and Local Government Law exam paper with Mugwadi via WhatsApp.

Mugwadi immediately notified UZ authorities who confirmed the paper as the one that was to be written by 2nd-year Bachelor of Substantive Laws on November 3, 2022.

The University then issued a notice to cancel the exam.

The State alleges that Maunganidze unlawfully obtained and intentionally leaked the examination paper, adding that his actions dented the credibility of UZ.